


We Know They Won't Win

by SocialDegenerate



Series: Gladnis Week 2k17 [1]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Angst, Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, Ficlet Collection, Fluff, Grief/Mourning, M/M, Mild Sexual Content, Pre-Relationship, Weddings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-04
Updated: 2017-12-08
Packaged: 2019-02-10 13:09:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,449
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12912585
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SocialDegenerate/pseuds/SocialDegenerate
Summary: My first 5 fics for Gladnis Week 2k17Day 1: TattoosDay 2: Wearing The Other's ClothesDay 3: Brotherhood EraDay 4: Early Morning HoursDay 5: Marriage





	1. Don't Be So Reckless

**Author's Note:**

> I've decided to split up my Gladnis week posts to keep the really explicit stuff separate. The tags will be updated as I post each day.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gladio's healing tattoo is causing him some discomfort. Ignis is there to make it better.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have also decided to trial something new this week. If you would prefer to read and comment along with a GDocs version of these fics, [you can do so here](https://docs.google.com/document/d/12VaFrwtlWRJLSkhW9Qpz6rKZakbLuVJLauFcvKTMmhs/edit?usp=sharing).

“Iggy.”

“No, Gladio.”

“Come on, Iggy, just a little bit. You don’t even have to do it hard! Just take the edge off.”

“No,” Ignis repeated, rolling his eyes. “We go through this every time, I’m not doing it.”

“ _Iggy,_ it’s _annoying.”_ It was a whine this time, the kind of childish petulance that the Prince’s Shield would never let anyone else see. Sometimes it was endearing, to see Gladio drop his tough-guy persona and act hilariously like his younger sister, but this time it was just irritating.

No matter how much Gladio begged, Ignis wasn’t going to scratch his healing tattoo for him.

With a sigh, Ignis put his knife down and stepped around the counter, walking over to his boyfriend. Slapping Gladio’s hands away from where he was trying to dig his nails into his skin, Ignis put his hand on the back of Gladio’s neck, away from the healing parts of his work in progress. With a gentle tug, he pressed Gladio’s forehead against his own.

“You’ll be _more_ annoyed if you damage the ink. Try not to think about it.”

“You gonna distract me?” Gladio said with a grin, his hands settling on Ignis’ hips. Making an undecided hum, Ignis ran his hand up and down Gladio’s arm, acting like it was a difficult decision.

“What do _I_ get out of it?”

“C’mon Iggy,” Gladio scoffed, his breath brushing against Ignis’ lips. “When don’t I return the favour?”

“I suppose you have a point,” Ignis said, his tongue briefly flashing out to wet his lips. Pausing for a moment, he wanted to see if Gladio would be the one to close the distance between them, but he seemed content to wait for Ignis to take the initiative.

Until he started to twitch.

“Listen Iggy, I love you and all, but if we’re just gonna stare at each other then I’m going to go and rub my back against the doorframe.” Rolling his shoulders, Gladio’s hands flexed where he was gripping Ignis’ hips, obviously trying to fight the urge to itch.

“Don’t you dare,” Ignis said, finally tilting his face enough to press his lips to Gladio’s. Quick pecks soon became deeper and Ignis welcomed Gladio’s tongue into his mouth, still clutching at his neck while his arm wrapped around Gladio’s waist. When Gladio shuffled closer, Ignis could feel him getting hard, and that just made his own arousal pulse higher.

He’d had dinner half prepared when Gladio started whinging at him, but Ignis decided that it could wait. Gladio was showing no signs of slowing down, and Ignis didn’t want to either.

“Hey, hey Iggy,” Gladio said when he finally pulled away and glanced at the abandoned dinner preparation, panting a little even as he snickered. “Does dick count as an appetiser?”

“Of course not,” Ignis snapped, although he immediately broke character and smirked. “It’s an entrée.”

Separating their bodies just a little and running his hand from Gladio’s neck down his chest, Ignis let the pads of his fingers just barely brush Gladio’s cock through his pants. Gladio’s answering moan excited him just as much as it always had, and Ignis leant up for another kiss.

This time, though, it only lasted a moment before Gladio went still, and Ignis immediately pulled back to find out what the problem was. Gladio’s eyes were scrunched up tight and he looked highly uncomfortable, which had Ignis worried for a second- until he realised what the issue inevitably was.

“Seriously?” Ignis asked, trying not to be offended by the fact that him touching his boyfriend’s dick apparently wasn’t enough to distract him from the itching.

“Sorry,” Gladio grunted, his hands finally dropping away from Ignis’ hips. “It’s just _really_ annoying.”

Shaking his head, Ignis took a deep breath to try and control his arousal before gesturing to his bedroom. “Go lie down. I’ll be there in a moment.”

Gladio didn’t seem inclined to question it, simply nodding his head and wandering off as requested. Without the intoxicating feeling of Gladio pressed against him, it was easier for Ignis to adjust himself slightly and then forget about it, quickly tossing a few things back in the fridge before collecting the lotion he’d bought after Gladio kept forgetting to bring his own with him.

Doubling back after a second thought, Ignis grabbed the massage oil as well, knowing that Gladio tended to carry far too much tension through his entire back.

Finally reaching the bedroom, Ignis bit his lip at the sight of Gladio face-down on his bed, only wearing the underwear that nicely hugged the curve of his ass. His half-finished tattoo was coming along nicely, even as it peeled and itched, and Ignis reverently ran his fingers along the healed outline towards Gladio’s lower back.

“Iggy, I’m itchy,” Gladio complained again, and Ignis just rolled his eyes. “And I’m horny too, so it just sucks all around.”

“One thing at a time,” Ignis said, kneeling on the bed and squirting a little lotion onto his fingers. “You’re itchy because it’s dry, so I’m going to hydrate it.”

“I’ll hydrate you in a minute,” Gladio muttered nonsensically into Ignis’ pillow, still shifting awkwardly. “Seriously, just scratch it a little.”

“No,” Ignis said firmly, dropping the cold lotion onto Gladio’s back without warning. His shocked shout was reward enough, and Ignis tried not to laugh too loudly as he rubbed the lotion into Gladio’s dry skin. “How does this feel?”

“...Better,” Gladio grumbled, still shifting around. The movement was making it harder for Ignis to make sure he was getting full coverage, and so he swung a leg over Gladio’s body, perching himself on Gladio’s ass and holding him in place.

“Stay still,” Ignis warned as he worked his hands into Gladio’s back, soothing the dry, itchy skin. Gladio was already becoming pliant underneath him, letting out little pleased noises as Ignis chased away the itch, and Ignis just wanted him to feel good.

Eventually setting the lotion aside for the massage oil, Ignis knelt a little further down Gladio’s body, keeping the oil away from his healing tattoo as he really began to press his slick fingers into Gladio’s back. Although he occasionally let his fingers brush against the top of Gladio’s ass, he never went further than that, enjoying the way Gladio shivered whenever he teased a little low.

Although he would have preferred to massage the tension out of Gladio’s broad shoulders, there were still enough knots in his lower back to keep Ignis busy, and he was focused hard enough that he didn’t notice when Gladio’s pleasured noises became sleepy little grunts.

Gladio always had been a sucker for relaxation, and Ignis knew exactly what his partner liked.

Even when the knots were gone, Ignis simply took his time to appreciate the body Gladio had worked so hard for, running his hands over Gladio’s lower back and thighs. His cock was pressing against his fly, and eventually he let his fingers slip up from Gladio’s thighs to sneak into his boxers.

Lightly scratching his nails against Gladio’s ass, Ignis frowned when Gladio didn’t react.

“Gladio,” he said, pressing a little harder, “do you want me to fuck you?”

There was only silence in return, and Ignis hauled himself off Gladio and shuffled up the bed, trying to get a good look at Gladio’s face.

“ _Gladio_ ,” Ignis said again, this time fondly as he realised that Gladio had fallen asleep. Grabbing a tissue from the bedside table to clean his hands, Ignis ran one through Gladio’s short hair and laughed quietly.

His cock was still hard and begging for attention, but it could wait. He had dinner to finish, and Gladio obviously needed the rest. He certainly had enough self-control to ignore his arousal.

Besides, now that he thought about it, dick really was more of a dessert than an entrée.


	2. Good News for Beautiful People

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After their first night together, Gladio wakes up to find his boyfriend _and_ his shirt missing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’ve decided to trial something new for this week. If you’d prefer to read and comment along with a GDocs version of this fic, [ you can do so here](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1P1rWBnbUjA9_9Xn2mVrhpIiADOYd2wHgVZhXkSz6pF4/edit?usp=sharing).

When Gladio woke up, it was to an empty bed.

Although he didn’t tend to be an anxious person, he had to admit that it made him a little nervous. It was the first time he’d spent the night with Ignis, and he could only wonder if Ignis was regretting it.

_Gladio_ certainly wasn’t regretting it: he was relishing the dull ache in his ass, stretching out his limbs and feeling well-fucked and satisfied. But he wouldn’t feel anywhere near as good if Ignis didn’t feel the same, and so he pulled himself out of Ignis’ bed with a groan.

Snagging his pants off the floor, Gladio looked around for his singlet, frowning when he couldn’t see it. Ignis’ room was immaculately kept and his stray shirt should have been obvious, but it was nowhere to be found.

Then again, they hadn’t exactly been careful as they’d pulled off each other’s clothes in a fit of passion, and Gladio assumed he would probably find his shirt sitting behind something else. It wasn’t like he was shy about being shirtless, so he figured it could wait and wandered out into the apartment, pants hanging low on his hips and sculpted torso on full display.

“Iggy,” he called out, sticking his head into the kitchen. Ignis wasn’t there, but the large mug sitting in the drying rack was a sign of life, at least.

“Living room,” Ignis replied, his voice just loud enough to carry. Gladio couldn’t help the big smile that spread over his face at the sound of Ignis’ voice, and he promptly took himself in the right direction.

“Good mor...-” He started, cutting himself off when he spotted Ignis sitting in the centre of the room. He was surrounded by books, obviously reorganising his shelves, but Gladio hardly noticed that. Instead, his attention was entirely on Ignis himself, sitting cross legged on the floor in just his underwear and Gladio’s missing singlet.

“Gladio?” Ignis asked in response to the sudden choke, looking up. “Are you alright?”

“I’m fine, and so are _you_. Damn, Iggy.” Walking into the room, Gladio leant down to snag Ignis’ hands and tug him up off the ground. “Looking good.”

Taking a step back, Gladio admired the sight before him as he tugged Ignis into a twirl, looking somehow even more gorgeous than usual with his long, muscled legs and strong arms on full display.

“Ah, yes,” Ignis said, looking embarrassed for a brief second before he cleared his throat and crossed his arms over his chest. Although Ignis wasn’t a small guy, Gladio’s singlet still hung a bit loose on him, and Gladio spotted a flash of nipple when Ignis’ arms moved. “I assumed you wouldn’t mind, but I can cha-”

“Don’t you fuckin’ dare,” Gladio growled, hooking a finger into the loose neckline and pulling it down. “You can keep it for good if you promise never to wear anything else.”

Laughing, Ignis knocked Gladio’s hand away and then smoothed down the front of the singlet, pulling on the hemline where it barely covered the tops of his thighs. “I think I’d cause quite a stir if I went to the Citadel dressed like this. Or _un_ dressed, as the case may be.”

“Only because they’d be jealous,” Gladio murmured, stepping forward to press a kiss to Ignis’ lips. “If I had legs and an ass like yours, I’d never wear pants.”

“I _definitely_ think the king would put his foot down if you refused to wear pants _and_ a shirt.” Smiling against Gladio’s lips, Ignis ran a teasing hand down Gladio’s chest. “I wouldn’t complain, though.”

“True. Cor would have my head as well,” Gladio sighed dramatically, bending down to press his forehead against Ignis’ shoulder. “This is tyranny, I tell you.”

“I’m sure you’ll survive under this terrible regime where people are required to wear pants at work,” Ignis said dryly, patting Gladio’s long hair and pulling a face when his fingers caught the knots. Gladio and Cor going head-to-head over dress code was a long-running spectacle, and Ignis suspected that Regis and Clarus’ disinclination to get involved was because they found the whole thing rather amusing. “Regardless, would you like breakfast?”

“Nah, I’m good,” Gladio said into Ignis’ shoulder. “Probably getting close to lunch by now, yeah?”

“Almost,” Ignis replied, still petting Gladio’s messy hair. “We _were_ up rather late, so I won’t hold your sleep in against you.”

“You say that like it was all my fault. I _definitely_ remember your...enthusiastic participation,” Gladio said, reaching down to grope Ignis’ ass. Letting out a muffled noise, Ignis allowed Gladio to do as he would for a few moments, before firmly putting his hands on Gladio’s hips and separating their bodies.

“I’m going to have to ask you to keep it in your pants for the moment,” Ignis said, although his thumbs were rubbing affectionate circles against Gladio’s hips. “I have a few things I need to finish before I let you distract me.”

“Man, you just never stop, do you?” Gladio asked, but he let Ignis step away and sit back down amongst his books. Dropping himself on the outside of the book circle, Gladio leant forward with his elbows on his knees and his chin on his hands. “What’s going on here?”

“I’m reorganising my shelves and seeing what I should donate. Sundays are unfortunately the only time I have to get my more sporadic chores done, and my schedule is rather full for the next month, so I’m sorry that I can’t do something special with you just yet.” Ignis looked genuinely apologetic, but Gladio just grinned.

“I’d sit down and watch you do your taxes, Iggy. I’m just happy to spend time with you.”

His hands going still where he was collecting a stack of books, Ignis looked up through his loose fringe with a shy smile. “That’s...really sweet, Gladio. But I promise to get done quickly and not bore you too much.”

“I’ll help you out on one condition,” Gladio said, scratching at his nose and trying not to look too awkwardly pleased. “Unless you’d rather I stayed outta it, of course.”

Staring Gladio down with mock suspicion, Ignis gave a determined nod. “Name your price, Amicitia.”

“Weirdo,” Gladio laughed fondly. “Let me borrow anything that looks interesting.”

“Of course! You don’t have to help me with the housework to get free reign of my books,” Ignis said, his eyes going wide. Gladio just waved him off, still laughing.

“I wanna help, Iggy. Point me in the right direction and we’ll be done in no time.”

Under Ignis’ precise instructions, Gladio managed to get almost everything shelved to Ignis’ satisfaction, only putting a few things aside to borrow. There were a few more he was eyeing off for later, but he figured that he wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon.

Pushing the final book into place- _The History of the Astral War_ by Zetarius, Lacerta- Gladio stood up triumphantly and swept Ignis along with him, easily taking the strong, six foot man into his arms and swinging him in a short circle.

“Gladio!” Ignis gasped as he hung on for dear life, although he was grinning and his cheeks were flushed when Gladio put him back down. “We can’t celebrate just yet, I still have one thing to finish off.”

“Oh?” Gladio asked. “Is it me?”

“You wish,” Ignis snorted, flicking Gladio’s nipple and laughing as he yelped dramatically and pressed his hands to his chest.

“Careful with the goods,” Gladio grumbled, although he obediently followed Ignis along when beckoned. He raised an eyebrow when Ignis led him into the bedroom, the other one joining it when Ignis prodded him to sit on the bed, but then Ignis promptly ignored him and opened his closet doors.

“Planning on going back in there?” Gladio couldn’t help but say, earning himself an eyeroll over Ignis’ shoulder.

“Not likely,” Ignis laughed, gathering together a number of hangers. “I need to clean out my wardrobe before next season. You’re here in case I need a second opinion.”

Forgetting the hangers for a moment, Ignis turned around and walked back towards Gladio, knocking Gladio’s legs apart so that he could stand between them. “Will you do the honours?”

Gladly shoving his hands under Ignis’- or rather, his own- shirt, Gladio took the opportunity to feel up Ignis’ abdominals a little before lifting the material, slowly revealing his toned torso. “Astrals, you’re so beautiful, Iggy.”

“Well, that makes two of us,” Ignis said before Gladio pulled the singlet off completely, leaning down to quickly kiss Gladio before escaping from his grabby hands. “Now, should I keep these, or not?”

As it turned out, Gladio wasn’t particularly insightful when it came to working out what looked good on Ignis. It certainly didn’t help that he thought _everything_ looked good on Ignis, but with enough back-and-forth Ignis was finally content with the newly available space in his closet.

Of course, that wasn’t quite the end of it, and the pair of them then had to sort through the discarded pile, working out what could be donated and what should go straight into the bin. It was when Ignis tossed a short-sleeved button up aside, muttering about why he’d ever decided to buy an abomination like _a short-sleeved button up_ , that Gladio got an idea.

“Hey, is this donate or trash?” He asked, holding up the offending shirt. Ignis just sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

“In all honesty, I should really donate it, but I can’t bear to inflict that on anyone else. Toss it.”

“In a moment. Check this out, Iggy.” Grinning like a fool, Gladio stood up and managed to wriggle his arms into the shirt, the material already straining and cutting into his biceps. Glancing up to make sure that Ignis was watching, he breathed in until he managed to force the buttons closed.

“A little small, don’t you think?” Ignis asked, leaning back against the closet door and watching in fascination.

“Nah, it’s perfect,” Gladio said, rolling his shoulders. “I’ve always wanted to try this.”

Shaking his hands out, Gladio slowly flexed one of his arms, already feeling the material starting to give. “Oh yeah, this is gonna work.”

Relaxing his arm for a moment, Gladio then flexed as hard as he could, laughing gleefully when the material straining at his armpit tore. By readjusting the sleeve a few times, Gladio managed to tear the entirety of the sleeve, finally looking up to see Ignis staring at him with wide eyes.

“What do you think?”

“I think,” Ignis said, pausing to swallow hard, “that had _no right_ to be as sexy as it was.”

“There’s another one if you want to make sure it wasn’t a fluke,” Gladio said, gesturing to his other arm. “For science or whatever.”

“Don’t bother,” Ignis said, stalking forward and hooking his fingers into the top button of Gladio’s shirt. As over-strained as they were, it didn’t take much pressure for the threads holding them to snap, and Ignis smiled in satisfaction as the ruined shirt fell open.

“Thought you wanted to finish your chores?” Gladio said as he sat back on the bed, Ignis quickly following along.

“Fuck the chores,” Ignis said, and Gladio wholeheartedly agreed.


	3. To Tell The Truth, Things Could Be Worse

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ignis has been keeping secrets.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’ve decided to trial something new for this week. If you’d prefer to read and comment along with a GDocs version of this fic, [ you can do so here](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1JEJihWOgGSJmrzpF15OobicbceFQSsaMcz1RALQ7rek/edit?usp=sharing).

When Ignis decided to join the Crownsguard, he didn’t tell anyone beyond Cor. There was no expectation that he would need to join the military, but he’d decided that it would be best for Noctis if his advisor could also protect him.

The shame of not being good enough would have hurt too much to bear, though, and so he kept his goal to himself. The Crownsguard as a whole were a perfectly dignified organisation, thanks to no one really wanting to incur the Immortal’s wrath, but Ignis still didn’t want to risk being mocked or snickered at for thinking that  _ he _ could join.

Or to be pitied on the off chance that he failed the entrance exams.

So when Cor had offered to let him train with the other prospective recruits, Ignis had politely declined, citing clashing schedules between their training and Noctis’ needs. Instead, he had simply accepted a copy of the usual training program and promptly proceeded to double it. Cor had shown him the basics, and Ignis had tailored it to himself.

It wasn’t too hard to find time to train in one of the Crownsguard gyms, especially as Ignis had access to the official schedules for all the major Citadel groups. Even if his sleep schedule suffered a little, he pushed as hard as he dared. Early-  _ very  _ early- mornings, late-  _ very  _ late- nights, and the occasional daytime workout when Crownsguard squads were on training missions outside the Citadel became the norm, and Ignis was pleased to see steady growth in his body and his strength.

The fact that he also felt less likely to claw his own skin off from stress was certainly an unexpected benefit, to the point where even Noctis commented that he seemed more relaxed, but Ignis avoided admitting where he was working off his stress. He’d considered coming clean, but he couldn’t bring himself to say the words when Gladio was leaning against the counter next to Noctis.

He liked Gladio, and would even call him a good friend, but Gladio was certainly one of the ones who would pity him if he failed. Plus, if Ignis was truly being honest with himself, Gladio’s pity would hurt worst of all.

Ignis had seen Gladio training with Noctis, and his breezing through the physical entry exam hadn’t been a surprise; nor had his easy domination of the written test, considering that Ignis had spent enough time with him to know that Gladio was intelligent, sharp and well-read.

The written test wasn’t bothering Ignis, either. It was more to ensure that recruits had two braincells to rub together than to exclude, and the practice tests Ignis had done were beyond simple. When it came to the physical testing, though, Ignis knew he was nowhere near Gladio’s level.

He didn’t even know if he ever  _ could _ be that good.

Still, the fear of failure was as good a motivator as any, and it was another late night when Ignis found himself in one of the Crownguard gyms once again. It was later than he should have been there, especially as he was expected at Noctis’ quite early, but he figured that his worry probably would have kept him awake anyway.

Focusing his brain on drills kept the worst of his insecurities at bay, and Ignis let himself relax into a near-meditative state of repetition. All he had to think about was the position of his body and the ache in his arms, and it was almost like the rest of the world didn’t exist.

So when there was a knock on the door, Ignis nearly jumped out of his skin. There was never anyone around at such a late hour, so who could possibly be around? It was too late for him to disappear into the locker room, and so he swallowed hard and turned towards the door to see Gladio wandering in.

“Hey Iggy,” Gladio said with a casual wave, apparently completely oblivious to Ignis’ impending freakout. “Training late again?”

“What?” Was all Ignis could say, utterly confused by Gladio’s lack of surprise.

“Dad was telling me that you’ve been around a lot lately. Figured I’d come say hi after dropping dinner off for him, because he’s not gonna remember to eat otherwise. He’s been working crazy hours and hasn’t really left in a few days.” Shoving his hands in his pockets, Gladio gave a lazy grin that had Ignis feeling like he’d been punched in the gut.

“That’s nice of you,” Ignis managed to reply, trying to ignore the irrational urge to hide his training staff behind his back. “I didn’t realise Lord Clarus was here, so I’m sorry if I distracted him.”

Gladio just laughed, pulling a hand from his pockets to wave it dismissively. “Nah, he reckons it’s good that someone around here has some discipline, so way to make the rest of us look bad. Little worried that you might be overdoing it, though. You training for something in particular?”

“I...no,” Ignis said, suddenly finding the floor very interesting. “I just thought I would....work on my fitness a little.”

“Uh huh,” Gladio said disbelievingly, and Ignis had to try not to cringe. “Does this have anything to do with the Crownsguard exam coming up?”

“I had...considered it.” Swallowing hard, Ignis tried his best to lie without lying. Gladio had backed him into a figurative corner, considering that the evidence was right there in front of him, but Ignis couldn’t bring himself to just admit it. If he acted like he didn’t care, maybe it wouldn’t hurt if he failed.

“Iggy, that’s great!” Gladio grinned, and Ignis looked up at him with big eyes. “You’re gonna kill it, dude.”

“We’ll see,” was all Ignis could say, shaking his head. He took a step back when Gladio stepped towards him, and although Gladio gave him an odd look, Ignis just ignored it. When Gladio took another step forward, though, Ignis didn’t move out of arm’s reach.

“I was watching you for a while. You’ve got good technique, good stamina, and you’re in great shape.”

Painfully aware of Gladio’s eyes trailing down his bare arms and feeling utterly exposed in his sweaty singlet, Ignis’ heart was beating faster than it had been during his workout. Something about Gladio left him feeling vulnerable and open, and he couldn’t stop his insecurities from tumbling out of his mouth.

“I’m not certain that I’ll pass. The Crownsguard are impressive, and I haven’t been training for very long.”

“Yeah, the vets are impressive,” Gladio laughed. “The recruits are a bunch of dumb kids who’ve never done a push-up in their lives.”

“It’s not enough,” Ignis insisted, hating himself for it. “I’m nowhere near the level I should be. I’ll never be as good as you, or your father, or Cor…”

“Fuck, Iggy, you’re comparing yourself to  _ us _ ? No wonder you’re worried when you’ll definitely get in.” Shaking his head, Gladio shot Ignis a reassuring smile. “I know it’s hard for a perfectionist, but lower your standards a bit.”

Opening his mouth to tell Gladio that his standards were perfectly reasonable, Ignis cut himself off when Gladio clapped a big hand to his shoulder. “Cor became King Mors’ bodyguard when he was fifteen, after my grandpa died. He’s not exactly a normal dude, y’know? And dad and I are Amicitias, we’re literally bred to be physical perfection. Amicitias are the best of the best.”

Ignis choked a little when Gladio flexed his free arm, his muscles far more developed than they had any right to be. Still, he managed to recover with a laugh  _ and _ resist the urge to reach out and touch. “You sound like you’re discussing purebred show dogs.”

“You calling my mother a bitch, Scientia?” Gladio growled, but he was grinning widely and his eyes were bright with amusement. “Anyway, my point is that you’re already better than most of the flogs they let in every year. I know you wanna be the best, and you’re welcome to try and kick my ass, but don’t worry about being good enough.”

Taking a deep breath, Gladio met Ignis’ eyes and Ignis felt like he couldn’t move or speak. “You’re more than good enough, Ignis. You’re gonna nail it.”

Squeezing Ignis’ shoulder before letting go, Gladio took a step back and Ignis felt the tension break. He didn’t know if Gladio had even felt it, but all he could manage was a shaky nod.

“And if you ever want to train together, you’ve got my number.” With another cocky-  _ handsome _ , Ignis tried not to think- grin, Gladio walked backwards towards the door. “I’m serious, Iggy. I know you can look up my schedule to help organise Noct, so you don’t even have to call. Just come by when you know I’m training, and we can work out together.”

Turning around and pushing the door open, Gladio paused mid-step and looked back over his shoulder, still grinning and giving an exaggerated wink. “We’ll have people thinking that you’re Ignis Amicitia in no time.”

Thankfully Gladio left before he could see Ignis go flaming red at the thought of being  _ Ignis Amicitia _ , even as he tried to tell himself that Gladio didn’t mean it like  _ that _ .

No matter how much Ignis desperately,  _ painfully _ wanted it to be like that.

It took Ignis a few minutes to shake himself out of his Gladio-induced stupor, but when he did there was a new fire in his belly that left him feeling more sure than before. Gladio had never been one to lie for the sake of someone’s feelings, and Ignis couldn’t help but believe his unshakeable confidence.

If Gladio was so sure that he wasn’t going to fail, then maybe he didn’t need to worry after all.


	4. Everything Within Its Place

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> One sleepless night, Gladio mourns his father.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’ve decided to trial something new for this week. If you’d prefer to read and comment along with a GDocs version of this fic, [ you can do so here](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1SuykR-qwP_SQFPB2p-EzCA6xvse-SNhHZAZiA8Vq8-U/edit?usp=sharing).

“Can’t sleep?”

Gladio certainly didn’t jump at the sudden sound of Ignis’ voice behind him, and he  _ definitely  _ didn’t almost fumble his phone over the balcony railing. Turning around with a firm grip on his phone, Gladio tried to give Ignis a casual wave, but all Ignis did was cover his mouth and quietly laugh.

“I’m sorry for startling you,” Ignis said, and Gladio couldn’t even be irritated at him, not when his eyes were crinkled up and his hand lowered to reveal a grin. “What brings you out here so late?”

“Just thinking,” Gladio said, trying to keep his tone light. He knew that if he wanted to talk, his boyfriend would listen, regardless of the fact that it was somewhere north of three in the morning; but Gladio didn’t want him to burden him.

Making a quiet noise of understanding, Ignis moved to join Gladio on the balcony of their shared hotel room, resting his elbows on the railing and staring out over Lestallum. The city was quiet but not dark, and when Ignis looked up and sighed quietly, Gladio knew he was lamenting the lack of visible stars in the sky. “It’s late- or early, rather. Would you like to come inside and get a bit more sleep?”

When Gladio turned around to look over the city with Ignis, they ended up with their arms touching, but neither tried to move away. Ignis’ bare arms felt cold against Gladio’s skin, and Gladio frowned at the feeling. “I’ll be in soon, Iggy. You should get back into bed, where it’s warm.”

“If you’re out here, I’d rather stay,” Ignis murmured, shifting until his side was pressed against Gladio’s. “Unless you’d prefer to be left alone, of course.”

“Fuck, Iggy,” Gladio said, almost forgetting to be quiet. “You know I always want you here.”

Slipping an arm around Ignis’ waist, Gladio tried to use his own body to warm Ignis as much as possible, even if it wasn’t really that cold outside. Ignis’ comfort was important to him, though, and so he wanted to pull even the small amount of chill from Ignis’ skin.

Simply enjoying the feel of each other, they were quiet for a while, and Gladio turned his head to bury his nose in Ignis’ hair. He smelled like hotel conditioner rather than the luxury products he’d used before, but Gladio loved it all the same. It was part of Ignis, and that was all that mattered.

Gladio’s movement seemed to shatter their tentative peace, though, and Ignis finally broke the silence as Gladio breathed in his clean scent. “If there’s something bothering you, I’d like to hear about it.”

“I...it’s fine, Iggy. I’m fine.”

“Gladio,” Ignis said. It wasn’t stern or sharp, but Gladio felt bad regardless. Of course Ignis just wanted to make him feel better, that was what Ignis wanted for everyone. “I know that you have to be strong for Noct, and even for Prompto and I, but I can tell that you’re hurting. If you want to let me in, I’ll listen. And if you don’t, then I’ll stay here with you until you’re ready to come back to bed.”

Swallowing hard, Gladio took a steadying breath of  _ Ignis _ and only hesitated for a moment before finally voicing the thoughts he’d been so resolutely ignoring.

“I’m...I’m worried about Iris.”

“Oh?” Ignis said, apparently content to let Gladio bury his face in his hair rather than forcing eye contact. Gladio loved that Ignis always seemed to know what he needed, and this was no exception.

“She’s so young,” Gladio said, forcing the wobble out of his voice. “Both of our parents are de-...gone, and as much as I want to, I can’t stay by her side right now.”

If Ignis noticed Gladio stumbling over the reality of his parents’ fate, he didn’t mention it. Instead, he placed a hand over the one that Gladio had wrapped around his waist, the grounding affection giving Gladio the strength to keep going.

“She’s obviously so broken up by dad, but she’s trying so hard to stay strong and I...I just wish she didn’t  _ have _ to, y’know?”

“She  _ is  _ strong,” Ignis said when Gladio went quiet, putting a little more pressure on Gladio’s hand. “You both are, and she understands that you can’t stay with her. She wouldn’t  _ want  _ you to stay at Noct’s expense.”

Gladio didn’t know what to say, wasn’t sure he could get the words out without choking on them if he did. He  _ knew  _ that Ignis was right, but he couldn’t help but feel like he was abandoning his little sister. After his mother had died, his father had told them that they had to stick together, and yet-

“Lord Clarus wouldn’t have wanted you to abandon your duty either.” As if he could read Gladio’s mind, which Gladio has always quietly suspected he probably could, Ignis turned a little to better cuddle against Gladio’s body while he cut right to the heart of Gladio’s worries. “This isn’t just a job. It’s your life, and neither of them would want you to give up that up.”

Placing a hand over Gladio’s heart, where Gladio was sure he could feel it pounding, Ignis took a moment to find the right words. “The strongest people I’ve ever met are the Amicitias. Iris is going to be okay, and so are you.”

Swallowing thickly, Gladio stayed silent as he let Ignis finish pulling him into a proper hug, his arms around Ignis’ waist and Ignis hooking his hands into the back of Gladio’s shirt. Content to leave his words to sink in, Gladio was glad when Ignis didn’t push him to reply. Holding onto Ignis was probably the only thing that was keeping him upright, and he knew that Ignis could feel his every shuddering breath.

He stopped shaking eventually, without any idea of how long Ignis had simply stood there and held him. The sun wasn’t peeking over the edge of the city yet, so it couldn’t have been too long, but Gladio was filled with a bone-deep sense of gratitude anyway.

It was a cliche, and an awful one at that, but Gladio was a romantic at heart and Ignis was his rock.

“Gladio?” Ignis asked, getting a wordless hum in reply. “Will you tell me about your father?”

Tilting his head to the side, Gladio frowned. “You met him, Iggy. A  _ lot _ .”

“I knew Lord Clarus. I never really met  _ your father _ .” Tucking himself back against Gladio’s chest, Ignis let Gladio hook his chin over the top of his head and just waited. Gladio had to admit that he was right: they really hadn’t had much time for meet-the-family dinners since they’d started dating, even if Ignis had repeatedly invited himself over to help Jared feed the Amicitia siblings.

“He was...busy. A lot,” Gladio finally started, ignoring the scratchiness in his throat. The topic of  _ fathers _ had been steadfastly avoided since the fall of Insomnia, and it felt strange to suddenly break that drought. “But he always made time for us.”

Even if it had only been for a few minutes in passing, Clarus had always made sure that he would see his children every day. Gladio had taken up visiting him at the Citadel to ease the time restraints, and Iris had joined him as she got older. They would always be interrupted sooner or later, someone knocking on the door of Clarus’ office to inform him of where he was needed next, but Clarus would delay for a little longer every time.

Ignis didn’t say anything when Gladio told him as much, but he didn’t really need to.

“I get why people thought he was scary, he was  _ meant _ to be that way, but he really wasn’t. He could be when he was angry, but he was never angry at us.” Staring blankly over the top of Ignis’ head, Gladio sniffed and let a wry smile spread across his lips. “He was the one who named us. Did you know that? My old man really loved his flowers.”

His eyes stinging now, Gladio took a deep breath and finally put voice to thoughts he’d never spoken before, that he would never find out the truth of now. “I’m not real sure, but I think...he and Regis were more than, y’know.  _ Closer _ than Noct and I. Towards the- the end, at least.”

“Does that bother you?” Ignis finally said, still buried in Gladio’s chest. Taking a moment to think about it,  _ really _ think about it, Gladio eventually shook his head.

“I just hope he was happy. I think he was, so I guess that’s what really matters to me.”

“You’re a beautiful man, Gladiolus Amicitia,” Ignis said quietly, putting his hand over Gladio’s heart again to emphasise that he didn’t just mean it in a physical sense. “He’d be proud of you- they both would.”

Ignis didn’t comment on the raw, harsh sob that escaped from Gladio; he simply let himself be Gladio’s support, silence settling around them again until Ignis finally decided that they couldn’t stay on the balcony forever.

“In any case, I think we’ll have to stay in Lestallum for a few more days. You need to catch up with Iris.”

“Iggy,” Gladio said, trying to pretend that he wasn’t wiping under his eyes, “we’ve gotta keep moving.  _ You _ said we’ve gotta keep moving.”

There was a mischievous twinkle in Ignis’ eyes as he rubbed his hands up and down Gladio’s back, leaning back to meet Gladio’s confused look head on. “Gladio, I do think I’ve developed a cold while standing out here, and travelling while sick simply won’t do.”

He gave the single most delicate, outrageously fake cough that Gladio had ever heard- and he’d dealt with Noctis trying to get out of training- as he grinned, and Gladio couldn’t help the snorting laugh that escaped him.

“Get some sleep, Gladiolus,” Ignis said, cupping one of Gladio’s cheeks and somehow making his full name sound like a pet name. “And then spend some time with Iris tomorrow. I’ll distract the other two.”

“You might need the sleep more than me, then,” Gladio laughed, the heaviness in his chest feeling slightly less like it was going to crush him. “Come with me?”

“Always,” Ignis said, lifting up on the balls of his bare feet to kiss Gladio’s cheek, jaw, lips. “And forever.”

“Thank you,” Gladio managed to say, crushing Ignis close again as he repeated it again and again. Ignis just laughed as Gladio literally swept him off his feet, moving both of them back inside and pouring Ignis back into bed before the sudden onset of emotional exhaustion had him practically collapsing on top of his partner.

As Gladio fell asleep, he could feel Ignis’ hand stroking through his hair, and it finally seemed like there may have been a light at the end of the tunnel.


	5. That's The Way It's Gonna Be, Little Darling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone turns out to see Iris getting married. _Everyone._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’ve decided to trial something new for this week. If you’d prefer to read and comment along with a GDocs version of this fic, [ you can do so here](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1XInJ9Gno5kpY9U_1Brnz9s2lsDqyIwbzXVVMuXpff_Q/edit?usp=sharing).

“Is he gonna stop soon?”

Sighing in affectionate exasperation, Ignis just handed Gladio another tissue without needing to be asked. “I wouldn’t bet on it.”

Prompto’s laugh earned him a glare even through Gladio’s red, puffy eyes, but there wasn’t much Gladio could do beyond that when he was trying to avoid making _too_ much of a scene.

He wasn’t going to ruin his little sister’s wedding.

“Fuck off, Prompto,” he said anyway, his voice thick. That just made Prompto laugh harder, but he slapped a companionable hand on Gladio’s back.

“Blow your nose, dude, because you’re due up there in a minute.”

“Shit,” Gladio muttered, rubbing at his eyes. “How do I look?”

“Like you’ve been crying for an hour,” a new voice said, and Gladio just scrubbed harder at his face as Cor stopped in front of him. “Get your ass out of my seat.”

“I can kick your ass, old man. Don’t test me,” Gladio grumbled good-naturedly, knocking his shoulder against Cor’s as he stood up. Accepting the packet of tissues that Ignis held out to him, Gladio bent down to kiss his partner’s cheek before shoving the pack into the pocket of his suit pants.

“Doubt it,” Cor snorted, but he otherwise let the comment go as he sat down next to Ignis. Sparing a glance to the four seats beside him, seats that were empty and would remain that way, he dismissed Gladio with a wave of his hand. Huffing, Gladio started turning away before he paused, quickly turning back to bend down and scratch Umbra between the ears.

The dog didn’t move from his spot on Prompto’s feet, but he lifted his head into Gladio’s hand before settling back down. Smiling widely, Gladio walked away to take his place in front of the audience, nodding at the celebrant and at the best friend of Iris’ wife-to-be.

With the supporting cast in place, it didn’t take long before Iris and Ravennae appeared hand-in-hand at the end of the aisle, the mid-afternoon sun casting them as silhouettes until they moved closer to the centre. As much as he tried to stop it from happening, Gladio could feel tears trickling down his face again, and it wasn’t altogether surprising when Iris took one look at him and started giggling.

Grinning at her, Gladio wiped his face with the sleeve of his jacket, wrapping her up in a tight hug when she finally dropped her partner’s hand and stepped towards him.

“I can feel them watching,” Iris whispered to him, and Gladio held her a little tighter.

“I know, Iris. Me too.” Swallowing hard as he looked over Iris’ shoulder at the perhaps not-so-empty seats in the front row, Gladio felt a fresh batch of tears begin to pour from his eyes as he finally unwrapped his arms from around his sister. “Knock ‘em dead, kid.”

The answering hit that Iris delivered to his arm left him genuinely wincing, his little sister packing quite a punch after ten long years of daemon hunting. The evidence was plain on her body, scars littering her skin where her dress revealed strong arms and a solidly muscled back, but Gladio thought she looked breathtakingly beautiful.

Even when he heard Prompto inform Ignis that _“Gladio’s crying again,”_ he couldn’t pull his eyes away from the beginnings of the ceremony. Iris was glowing with happiness in a way that Gladio didn’t think he’d seen since before the fall of Insomnia, almost twelve years prior, and if he didn’t stop crying soon he was going to end up dehydrated.

Still, the ceremony went off without a hitch, Gladio managing not to pass out from the amount of fluids he’d lost through his tear ducts, and Iris beaming widely as she kissed her new wife for the first time in their marriage. The assembled crowd burst into cheers as the Amicitia women walked back down the aisle, giggling and smiling with their arms wrapped around each other’s waists.

Gladio stopped to grab Ignis before he followed behind, the pair of them hand-in-hand as they accompanied the newlyweds to the waiting car. Although he would see Iris soon enough at the reception, Gladio let himself cry a little more as his sister drove off, ignoring Ignis’ barely muffled laughter when he lifted his hand and felt the wet tracks running down Gladio’s cheeks.

“Come on, you mess,” Ignis said fondly, squeezing Gladio’s hand. “Let’s grab the others and get going.”

“If Prompto laughs at me one more time, he gets to be designated driver,” Gladio grumbled, knowing full well that it was going to happen. As expected, Prompto giggled until Gladio threw the keys at his chest, ignoring Prompto’s protests as he tried to get someone else to take them from him.

“My Six-daughter just got married,” Cor said when Prompto tried him, his voice suspiciously heavy. “I’m not staying sober.”

Throwing his hands up in frustration, Prompto flipped the group off before heading for the car, Umbra trotting along at his side. His dark mood didn’t last too long, though; not in the face of the kind of unbridled joy that had been so absent in the darkness. The reception wasn’t a particularly lavish affair, but it felt warm and familial and absolutely perfect.

Gladio felt simultaneously exhausted and energised as he swayed with Ignis to the soft music playing, their foreheads pressed together so that they could talk quietly over the noise of the room.

“Did Iris look as stunning as I imagine she did?” Ignis asked, smiling when Gladio just sighed heavily.

“Even better, Igs. Second most amazing thing I’ve ever seen.”

“The first being?” Ignis asked, even though they both knew exactly what Gladio was going to say.

“The first being the one currently trying to fish for compliments,” Gladio said, pressing a kiss to the scarred skin beneath Ignis’ eye. “But I suppose he doesn’t really know how beautiful he is, so I’m gonna make sure he never forgets it.”

“I suppose you could say that I _feel_ the same,” Ignis said, the tips of his fingers tracing up Gladio’s neatly-shaven jaw before brushing over his cheekbone and the strong line of his nose.

“You’re the _worst_ ,” Gladio laughed, his suddenly-loud voice catching the attention of those around them. Ignis was looking utterly self-satisfied, and Gladio just ignored their new audience as he kissed the smirk right off Ignis’ face. Content to keep dancing quietly, they only separated when the bouquet toss was announced, a small crowd gathering as Ravennae threw her flowers over her head.

A woman Gladio only vaguely recognised cheered as she held the flowers over her head, the others clapping politely even as a few looked more than a little disappointed.

“You getting in there for Iris’ throw?” Prompto asked as he popped up beside Gladio, digging his pointy elbow into Gladio’s side.

“There’d be no contest.” Gladio said, crossing his arms over his chest. “Gotta be fair on the scrubs.”

“ _Sure,_ buddy,” Prompto laughed, nimbly avoiding Gladio’s half-hearted grab before the three of them settled back, off to the side of the crowd. There was a slight prickle on the back of Gladio’s neck that he should have been able to interpret as something odd, but he was too distracted by his sister’s radiant smile as she turned her back on the group and threw her flowers.

Considering that the reception was inside, there should have been no wind for the bouquet to catch, but the prickling on Gladio’s neck spread down his spine just as the bouquet somehow caught a stray breeze and headed right for them.

When the flowers hit Ignis square in the chest, Gladio could have sworn that he heard the faintest echo of a familiar gleeful, mischievous laugh, and Prompto’s pale, shocked face perfectly matched how Gladio felt inside.

_Noctis_.

Gladio pitched forward at the feeling of something smacking against his back, but there was nothing behind him that could have caused it. Wide-eyed, all he could do was laugh in shock as Ignis delicately cradled the bouquet of flowers, Iris looking surprised as she ran over to them.

“I didn’t do that on purpose, Iggy, I swear. I don’t know what happened, I threw them straight back and then…”

“ _Noctis_ ,” Ignis murmured, sounding like the wind had been punched out of his gut. “You absolute _menace_.”

The faint laugh happened again, and Iris gasped as her hands flew over her mouth. Pulling herself together after a moment, she squeezed Ignis’ forearm before knocking into her brother.

“He always was rooting for you two to work out,” Iris smiled, her eyes wet. “Guess this is a sign.”

With a grin so wide it almost hurt, Gladio threw his arm over Ignis’ shoulders and tugged him close, looking around for the person he knew he wouldn’t be able to see. “That little shit knows I’ll never take advice from him, but he just might be right this time.”

There were a million things he wanted to say, to Noctis and to the others who might have been there, his mother, his father, Regis; but he settled for pressing his lips into Ignis’ hair and whispering a quiet, heartfelt _thank you_.

A deep, warm feeling of safety and contentment spread over him as Iris tucked herself into his other side and Prompto closed the circle, the four of them silent as they simply basked in the moment. The feeling of an invisible presence eventually faded away, but the warmth in his chest didn’t, and Gladio felt another round of tears spring into his eyes.

“ _Again?”_ Prompto squawked, and the circle broke up as Prompto took off cackling, Gladio hot on his heels.

“I’m sorry about him,” Ignis sighed, still holding the bouquet as if it were something utterly precious. “And... _him_ , as well. If you’d like to do another toss-”

“Absolutely not,” Iris said, and Ignis could hear Amicitia steel in her voice. “This is how it’s meant to be, as far as I figure.”

“ _Iris!”_ Prompto wailed as he circled back around, cutting off Ignis’ remaining protest and hunkering down behind Iris. “Save me!”

Her laughter was infectious as Gladio came to an awkward halt in front of her, and even Cor couldn’t remain completely unaffected when he wandered over to see what the ruckus was about.

Gladio only had eyes for one of the group, though, and he felt like his heart was going to beat out of his chest as he watched Ignis laugh as freely as he ever had, his beautiful, scarred face completely lit up.

That damn meddling dick was right.

Of course Ignis was going to be the next one to get married, if Gladio had anything to say about it.

**Author's Note:**

> [Visit me on Tumblr!](http://socialdegenerate.tumblr.com)


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